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Home Energy Manager among CES "game-changers"
11/01/10
Edited by Andy Jowett. A new system that connects all the energy-consuming appliances in the home and allows households to set "budgets" for their use through a single touchscreen interface has been highlighted as one of the green technology "game-changers" at this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES).
The Home Energy Manager (HEM) has been developed by a partnership made up of Direct Energy, Whirlpool, retailer Best Buy, Lennox and Open Peak, the International Business Times reports.
It connects a residential property's energy using appliances and devices, such as lighting, heating systems, TVs and microwaves, to a single control station, where consumers can set maximum usage limits.
The device will alert users when they are approaching their monthly thresholds and will also provide personalised recommendations for improving energy efficiency and reducing bills.
Furthermore, households will be able to programme the DEM either directly or remotely to cut back on energy consumption during peak periods.
Trials of the system are set to start in the US this spring.
Elsewhere at the CES, British firm PassivEnergy showcased a new device that would allow residential property owners to control their heating and hot water by sending a text message from their mobile phone to a central hub.
